Israel ended its mandate for outdoor masks on Sunday, now that about 80 percent of its adult population has received both doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
‘Being without a mask for the first time in a long time feels strange. But it is very good, ‘Amitai Hallgarten, 19, told Reuters.
“If I have to be masked indoors to deal with this, I’ll do everything I can.”
At the start of the pandemic last year, Israel required residents to wear face masks while outside as long as they did not exercise. But now that nearly 5 million people in Israel have received the two-dose vaccine, health officials are beginning to ease restrictions, Reuters reports.
‘The infection rate in Israel is very low thanks to the successful vaccination campaign in Israel, and therefore it is possible to facilitate [restrictions]”Yuli Edelstein, Minister of Health, said in a statement.
In January, Israel struggles with about 10,000 new infections a day, but amid a surge in vaccinations, the number has dropped to about 200 daily, and hospitalizations and deaths are virtually non-existent, reports France 24.
Although the end of masking is beyond a positive step to return to normal, the country still requires that everyone who enters the country, including citizens, must isolate themselves.
The country’s health ministry noted that there are seven cases of a new Indian variant, and that they are still assessing its impact on the transmission.
“We are currently leading the world when it comes to the coronavirus,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters.
‘[But] we are still not done with the coronavirus. It may return. ”